A CHORUS ON STRIKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16822, 21 August 1920, Page 3

A CHORUS ON STRIKE.

GIRLS LOCKED IN. A happening unique in the history of Sydney theatrical affairs marked the first night of the new musical comedy '’‘lrene,” produced at the Criterion Theatre on Saturday night (August 7), under the J. and N. Tait management. The members of the chorus went on strike an hour or two before the curtain rose. The occurrence was in the nature of a bombshell to the management, which had made no preparation to meet such an emergency. Dissatisfaction is stated to have existed among the chorus over the question of pay, which, it is understood, is about £2 14s a week. . A meeting of members of the chorus, girls and 'men, was called at tho Actors’ Federation Rooms on the Saturday evening of the strike, and a message was sent to the theatre that the dissatisfied ones had decided not to go on the stage. Before tho performance commenced Mr. Westmaoott, a director of J. 0. Williamson, Limited, announced to the audience that at the end of last month an agreement had been made with members of tho company, and ho understood they, bad never made any demand for different conditions. Five or six of the chorus would appear. These, he said, had got out of the room in which tho chorus generally had been held by force, and had signed a declaration to that effect. The comedy .duly proceeded, but with only six girls in the chorus. Other chorus gills later said they were forcibly restrained from appearing. Mr. E, J. Tait stated that Mr. Walter Baker, president of the Actors’ Federation, denied that he had ever used the word “strike,” but he had called tho chorus of the Irene Company to the Actors’ Federation Rooms in Castleroagh Street and 'had locked them in. Five or six of the girls were determined ' to appear, and these had the resource to jump from a window on to the verandah and make their escape, arriving at tho theatre in an hysterical condition. It appeared that Mr. Baker assembled the chorus about 6.30 p.m., and then left for .the theatre to interview the management. Wbile.be was away some of the girls put their heads out of the window and screamed to passers-by that they were locked in. The door was opened for them and they left the room. Those who remained denied that the door was ever locked. Later two detectives visited the room and satisfied themselves that no one was being detained.